This invention is related to the field of processes that produce polymers, where said polymers comprise polymerized ethylene. The phrase xe2x80x9cethylene polymersxe2x80x9d as used in this application includes homopolymers of ethylene, and copolymers of ethylene with another monomer.
There are many production processes that produce ethylene polymers. Ethylene polymers are utilized in many products, such as, for example, films, coatings, fibers, and pipe. Producers of such ethylene polymers are continuously conducting research to find improved ethylene polymers.
This invention provides ethylene polymers with improved properties.
It is an object of this invention to provide a process to produce a catalyst system.
Magnesium dihalides, particularly magnesium dichloride is preferred for the metal halide component because it is readily available and relatively inexpensive.
The transition metal is generally selected from titanium, zirconium and vanadium. Titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxides are the preferred titanium compounds for combining with the metal halide compound. Suitable titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxide compounds include those expressed by the general formula Ti(OR)4 wherein each R is individually selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, and aralkyl hydrocarbon radicals containing from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms per radical and each R can be the same for different. Titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxides in which the hydrocarbyl group contains from about 1 to about 10 carbon atoms per radical are most often employed because they are more readily available. Suitable titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxides include, for example, titanium tetramethoxide, titanium dimethoxydiethoxide, titanium tetraethoxide, titanium tetra-n-butoxide, titanium tetrahexyloxide, titanium tetradecyloxide, titanium tetraeicosyloxide, titanium tetracyclohexyloxide, titanium tetrabenzyloxide, titanium tetra-p-tolyloxide and titanium tetraphenoxide. Of the titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxides, titanium tetraalkoxides are generally preferred and titanium tetraethoxide is particularly preferred.
The molar ratio of the transition metal compound to the metal halide compound can be selected over a relatively broad range. Generally the molar ratio is within the range of about 10:1 to about 1:10, preferably between about 3:1 and 0.5:2, however, the most common molar ratios are with the range of about 2:1 to about 1:2. When titanium tetrahydrocarbyloxide and magnesium dichloride are employed, a molar ratio of titanium to magnesium of about 2:1 is presently recommended as most all of the magnesium compound apparently goes into solution easily.
The metal halide compound and the transition metal compound employed are normally mixed together by heating, e.g. refluxing, these two components together in a suitable dry (essential absence of water) solvent or diluent, which is essentially inert to these components and the product produced. By the term xe2x80x9cinertxe2x80x9d is meant that the solvent does not chemically react with the dissolved components such as to interfere with the formation of the product or the stability of the product once it is formed. Such solvents or diluents include, for example, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, methylcyclohexane, toluene, xylenes and the like. It is emphasized that aromatic solvents are preferred, such as for example xylene because of the solubility of the metal halide compound and the transition metal compound is higher in aromatic solvents as compared to aliphatic solvents.
The first component produced from contact of the metal halide and transition metal compound is treated with an organometallic precipitation agent. Generally this is an organoaluminum halide compound which includes for example, dihydrocarbylaluminum monohalides of the formula Rxe2x80x22AlX, monohydrocarbylaluminum dihalides of the formula Rxe2x80x2AlX2 and hydrocarbylaluminum sesquihalides of the formula Rxe2x80x23Al2X3 wherein each Rxe2x80x2 in the above formulas is individually selected from linear and branched chain hydrocarbyl radicals containing from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms per radical and can be the same for different and each X is a halogen atom and can be the same or different. Some suitable organoaluminum halide compounds include, for example, methylaluminum dibromide, ethylaluminum dichloride, ethylaluminum diiodide, isobutylaluminum dichloride, dodecylaluminum dibromide, dimethylaluminum bromide, diethylaluminum chloride, diisopropylaluminum chloride, methyl-n-propylaluminum bromide, di-n-octylaluminum bromide, diphenylaluminum chloride, dicyclohexylaluminum bromide, dieicosylaluminum chloride, methylaluminum sesquibromide, ethylaluminum sesquichloride, ethylaluminum sesquiiodide, and the like. Ethylaluminum sesquichloride, ethylaluminum dichloride, and diethylaluminum chloride are preferred.
The above-described mixing of the catalyst component solution and the precipitating agent can be carried out under an olefin atmosphere. The olefin atmosphere employed can be an aliphatic mono-1-olefin having from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms per molecule. Thus, the olefin can include such as, for example, ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene and 1-decene and mixtures of one or more thereof.
The solid catalyst component is subjected to a halide ion exchanging source either before or after the prepolymerization step. The halide ion exchanging source can be a halide of a transition metal. Some examples of suitable halide ion exchanging sources that can be employed are titanium tetrahalides, such as titanium tetrachloride.
It is another object of this invention to provide said catalyst system.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process to use said catalyst system to polymerize ethylene, or to copolymerize ethylene with at least one other monomer, to produce ethylene polymers.
It is another object of this invention to provide said ethylene polymers.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process to use said ethylene polymers to produce a manufacture.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a manufacture comprising said ethylene polymers.
In accordance with this invention a process is provided. This process comprises blending a first component and a second component to produce a catalyst system wherein:
(1) said first component of said catalyst system comprises chromium on a support, and wherein the amount of said chromium on said support is from about 0.05 to 5 weight percent based on the weight of said support, and wherein said support comprises fluorided alumina, and wherein said support has a surface area from about 200 to about 550 square meters per gram, and wherein said support has a pore volume from about 0.7 to about 2.5 cubic centimeters per gram, and wherein said first component has been activated at a temperature in the range of about 500xc2x0 C. to about 900xc2x0 C.; and
(2) said second component is a transition metal halide catalyst.
In another embodiment of this invention, a composition comprising said catalyst system is provided.
In another embodiment of this invention, a process is provided comprising: polymerizing ethylene, or copolymerizing ethylene with at least one other monomer, to produce ethylene polymers, wherein said polymerizing is conducted in a polymerization zone, and wherein said polymerizing is conducted using said catalyst system, and wherein said polymerizing is conducted in the presence of a first cocatalyst and a second cocatalyst, and wherein said first cocatalyst comprises trialkyl boron, and wherein said second cocatalyst comprises trialkyl aluminum.
In yet another embodiment of this invention, said ethylene polymers are provided.
In yet another embodiment of this invention, a process for using said ethylene polymers to produce a manufacture is provided.
In still another embodiment of this invention, a manufacture is provided comprising said ethylene polymers.
These and other objects of this invention will become more evident from the following description and claims.
A process comprising blending a first component and a second component to produce a catalyst system, is provided.
Said blending can be accomplished by any means known to those skilled in the art. Said first component and said second component can be premixed prior to being utilized in a polymerization zone or said first and second component can be routed into a polymerization zone individually in specified portions. For example, said first and second components can be dry blended together in a mixer or added to a feed stream that leads to a reactor.
Said first component of said catalyst system comprises chromium on a support. The amount of said chromium on said support is from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent, preferably about 0.1 to about 3 weight percent, and most preferably from 0.8 to 2.5 weight percent, where such weight percents are based on the weight of the support. The chromium is usually in the form of chromium oxide.
The support comprises fluorided alumina.
The phrase xe2x80x9cfluorided aluminaxe2x80x9d is meant to describe an alumina treated with a fluorine-containing compound, in order to add fluoride to said alumina. Reaction of the fluorine-containing compound with an alumina can take place on impregnation or on activation. Generally, the fluoride is added to said alumina by forming a slurry of the alumina in a solution of the fluoriding agent and a suitable solvent such as alcohol or water. Particularly suitable are one to three carbon atom alcohols because of their volatility and low surface tension. A suitable amount of the solution is utilized to provide the desired concentration of fluoride on the alumina after drying. Drying can be effected by any method known in the art. For example, said drying can be completed by suction filtration followed by evaporation or drying under vacuum. The alumina can also be calcined prior to being treated with fluoride and/or chromium, such as in air at about 200 to about 800xc2x0 C.
Any organic or inorganic fluorine-containing compound which can form a fluoride with alumina can be used in this invention. Suitable fluorine-containing compounds include, but are not limited to, hydrofluoric acid (HF), ammonium fluoride (NH4F), ammonium bifluoride (NH4HF2), ammonium fluoroborate (NH4BF4), ammonium silicofluoride ((NH4)2SiF6), and mixtures thereof. The most preferred fluorine-containing compound is ammonium bifluoride, due to ease of use and availability. The amount of fluoride on said support is generally in the range of about 1 to about 10, preferably about 3 to about 8 weight percent fluoride, based on the weight of the support.
The support should have a surface area from about 200 to about 550 square meters per gram. It is more preferred when the support has a surface area from about 225 to about 425 square meters per gram, and it is most preferred when said support has a surface area from 250 to 400 square meters per gram.
The fluorided support should have a pore volume from about 0.7 to about 2.5 cubic centimeters per gram. It is more preferred when the support has a pore volume from about 0.8 to about 1.8 cm3/g, and it is most preferable when said support has a pore volume from 1 to 1.7 cm3/ gram.
Methods of producing said first component are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,900,457; 4,081,407; 4,392,990; 4,405,501; 4,735,931; 4,981,831; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Said first component should be activated in an oxidizing ambient at a temperature from about 500 to about 900xc2x0 C. It is even more preferred when the temperature is from about 550 to about 700xc2x0 C., and it is most preferred when the temperature is from 550 to 650xc2x0 C. Currently, the preferred oxidizing ambient is air. This activation is carried out for a time period of about 1 minute to about 50 hours. This allows for at least a portion of any chromium in a lower valance state to be converted to a hexavalent state.
Said first component after being activated is preferably reduced. This reduction converts at least a portion of the hexavalent chromium to a lower valent state. Carbon monoxide is preferably used in this reduction. In general, this reduction is conducted at a temperature in the range of about 200 to 500xc2x0 C., preferably 300-400xc2x0 C., for about 1 minute to about 24 hours. After this reduction the first component is flushed with nitrogen to remove the reducing agent.
Said second component comprises a transition metal halide catalyst as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,837, herein incorporated by reference. Generally, said transition metal halide catalyst comprises a metal halide compound and a transition metal compound. Said metal halide compound is selected from the group consisting of metal dihalides and metal hydroxyhalides. Currently, titanium is the preferred transition metal and magnesium dichloride is the preferred metal halide.
Optionally, said second component can further comprise an anti-caking agent. Generally, said anti-caking agent comprises a famed refractory oxide. Said fumed refractory oxide can be selected from the group consisting of fumed silica, fumed titanium dioxide, and fumed alumina. Fumed refractory oxide is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,178, herein incorporated by reference. Said anti-caking agent can be added to said second component in an amount ranging from about 2 weight % to about 20 weight % based on the weight of the second component.
In another embodiment of this invention, a process is provided comprising polymerizing ethylene, or copolymerizing ethylene and at least one other monomer, to produce an ethylene polymer.
Said xe2x80x9cat least one other monomerxe2x80x9d can be olefins having from 4 to about 16 carbon atoms per molecule. Suitable monomers, that can be polymerized with ethylene to produce copolymers with excellent properties, include, but are not limited to, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-octene.
This polymerizing is conducted in a polymerization zone. Polymerization can be carried out in any manner known in the art such as gas phase, solution or slurry polymerization conditions. Said polymerization zone includes any reactor known in the art. For example, a stirred reactor can be utilized for a batch process, or the polymerizing can be carried out continuously in a loop reactor.
A preferred polymerization technique is that which is referred to as a particle form, or slurry process, wherein the temperature is kept below the temperature at which the polymer becomes soluble in the diluent. Such polymerization techniques are well known in the art and are disclosed, for instance, in Norwood, U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,179, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Two preferred polymerization methods for the slurry process are those employing a loop reactor of the type disclosed in Norwood and those utilizing a plurality of stirred reactors either in series, parallel or combinations thereof wherein the reaction conditions are different in the different reactors.
Said polymerizing is conducted at a temperature from about 80 to about 110xc2x0 C. However, it is preferred when said polymerizing is conducted at a temperature from about 85 to about 95xc2x0 C.
Said polymerizing is conducted in the presence of a first cocatalyst and a second cocatalyst. Said first cocatalyst comprises trialkyl boron. In general, the alkyl groups of the trialkylboron cocatalyst should have from about 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms. Examples include, but are not limited to, triethylboron, tripropylboron, and trimethylboron. However, most preferred is triethylboron. The amount of trialkylboron used in a polymerization, stated in parts per million by weight, based on the weight of the diluent in the reactor, is from about 0.01 parts per million to about 20 parts per million. Preferably, it is from about 0.05 parts per million to about 10 parts per million, and most preferably it is from 0.5 parts per million to 8 parts per million.
Said second cocatalyst comprises trialkylaluminum. Generally, the alkyl groups of the trialkylaluminum cocatalyst should have from about 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and preferably, 2 to 4 carbon atoms. Examples, include, but are not limited to, triethylaluminum, tripropylaluminum, and trimethylaluminum. However, most preferred is triethylaluminum. The amount of trialkylaluminum used in the polymerization, in parts per million by weight, based on the weight of the diluent in the reactor, is from about 0.01 parts per million to about 20 parts per million, preferably, it is from about 0.05 parts per million to about 10 parts per million. Most preferably, it is from 0.5 to 8 parts per million.
Hydrogen is present in the polymerization zone. Currently, about 0.5 to about 3 mole percent hydrogen is used. However, it is preferred when about 0.8 to about 2.5 mole percent is present in said polymerization zone, and it is more preferred when 1.2 to 2.2 mole percent of hydrogen is present in said polymerization zone. These mole percents are based on the moles of the diluent in said polymerization zone.
Said ethylene polymers can be used to produce manufactures. Said ethylene polymers can be formed into a manufacture by any means known in the art. For example, said ethylene polymers can be formed into a manufacture by blow molding, injection molding, and extrusion molding. Further information on processing said ethylene polymers into a manufacture can be found in MODERN PLASTICS ENCYCLOPEDIA, 1992, pages 222-298.
One important application for said ethylene polymers is the production of pipe. Pipe produced from said ethylene polymers typically are formed from an extrusion process. Further information on manufacturing pipe can be found in PLASTICS MATERIALS AND PROCESSES, 1982, pp. 591-592.
It is preferred when said ethylene polymers have a HLMI of about 2-20, preferably about 5-15, and most preferably 8-13 grams per ten minutes.
It is also preferred when said ethylene polymers have a density of about 0.945-0.955, preferably about 0.947-0.953, and most preferably 0.948-0.951 grams per cubic centimeter.
It is also preferred when said ethylene polymers have a shear ratio (HLMI/MI) of greater than about 300, preferably greater than 400, and most preferably greater than 500.
It is also preferred when said ethylene polymers have a polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of greater than about 40, preferably greater than 50, and most preferably greater than 60.
It is also preferred when the ethylene polymers have a pent test of greater than about 500, preferably greater than 1000, and most preferably greater than 2000.